World's Tallest Bridge Over "Crack In The Earth" Gets Daunting Load Test By Fleet Of 96 Trucks

The world's tallest bridge has undergone final load tests ahead of opening, with 96 weighted trucks driving over the bridge to test its structural integrity.

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Construction of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou province, China, began in 2022, connecting the areas of Liuzhi and Anlong. The suspension bridge is 2,980 meters (9,777 feet) long, a fair distance for a bridge, but at 625 meters (2,083 feet) above the Beipan River, it is now the world's highest bridge, as well as the largest spanning bridge in a mountainous region. The bridge spans the Huajiang Grand Canyon, also known as the "crack in the earth", cutting an hour-long journey into a 90-second scenic drive across the canyon.

Ahead of an expected opening in late September, the bridge has now undergone final load testing. Over the course of five days, engineers performed static and dynamic load tests, involving 18, 48, and 96 vehicles, weighing over 3,300 tons in total, per China.com.

The tests simulated different flows of traffic and distributions of vehicles across the bridge, whilst sensors placed across the bridge monitored the stress and strains placed upon it. In the dynamic tests, the vehicles also varied their speeds and used their brakes to better emulate normal driving conditions.

When completed, the bridge will also feature a glass walkway and offer bungee jumping and paragliding. Due to its height and position in the canyon, users may even get to drive, walk, or jump through the clouds, high above the Beipan River.

Though the bridge will be the world's highest, based on deck height (the road to the ground below), according to the Guinness World Records, which uses different measures for "highest" and "tallest" bridge, it won't be the tallest. That is measured from the tallest point of a bridge, including structures, to the lowest part exposed. The current world record for the tallest bridge is the Millau Viaduct in France.